Surface albedo-climate feedback simulated using two-way coupling

Abstract

To simulate the effects of feedback between climate and surface albedo via vegetation, a scheme was developed, based on a generalized life zone scheme, for estimating the land surface albedo as a function of annual mean precipitation and surface temperature. This scheme was applied to the climate of a GCM and made interactive with the GCM. The climate of this run was compared with one in which the land surface albedo was prescribed to a spatially uniform value. Allowing such feedback within the modeling system enhances the atmospheric ascent and heavy precipitation of tropical rainbelts, in comparison with a case with spatially homogeneous surface albedo prescribed. It also intensifies the atmospheric descent and low precipitation rates over subtropical latitudes. -from Author